When you’re a highly sensitive person, you have the ability to feel your emotions as well as the emotions of others on a deeper level.
As with anything in life, there are positives and negatives to being a highly sensitive person.
It shows a great deal of compassion and empathy to be a highly sensitive person. You may be able to pick up on cues that others aren’t able to notice. You also may be able to connect with others in a deeper and more meaningful way.
On the other hand, feeling your own emotions as well as the emotions of the other people around you can be extremely overwhelming.
Here’s how to relieve anxiety as a highly sensitive person.
Be Aware of What Causes Your Anxiety
One of the best ways to get ahead of your anxiety as a highly sensitive person is to first recognize and acknowledge some of the people, places, or things that may be causing you to have anxiety in the first place. Recognizing your stressors can help you better manage your anxiety levels moving forward.
By knowing your triggers, you’ll be able to stop your anxiety before it happens, even if you happen to be in a situation that you know may increase your anxiety. You can choose to remove yourself from the situation depending on how you’re feeling.
Take Care of Yourself
Make sure you’re taking care of yourself. If you’re not taking care of yourself, your anxiety has a better chance of increasing. As a highly sensitive person, you’re more likely to dismiss your own needs and want to help others. Keep in mind that you can’t fill someone else’s cup if yours is completely empty.
You need to make sure your needs are being met before you can fully give to someone else. This means making sure you’re fueling your body properly during the day, getting enough sleep at night, drinking enough water, and finding time in your day to relax and unwind.
Set Boundaries
Boundaries may seem like a harsh ask. When you think of boundaries, you may think of drawing a line between yourself and another person. Try to be a little more open to setting boundaries. They don’t have to be as harsh as they seem.
Plus, they can actually be a really great thing for building healthy and positive relationships for yourself and the other person or people involved. Your boundaries may relate to physical, emotional, sexual, intellectual, or financial. Don’t be afraid to say no. You have to stick to your own boundaries and respect them just as much as someone else in your life should.
Try Stress-Reduction Exercises
Preventative measures for anxiety are great, but you’re probably wondering what you should be doing if you’re actually dealing with anxiety in the present moment. One of the best ways to try to cope with anxiety is to implement stress-reducing activities into your daily routine.
This is a great practice to use as a preventive measure but also as a way to cope in the present moment. Here are a few different exercises you can do to reduce your stress:
Journal- Meditate
- Yoga
- Move your body
- Deep breathing
- Repeat a mantra or affirmation
Seek Additional Support
There’s nothing wrong with asking for help. Seeking additional support from a licensed and trained mental health professional may be exactly what you need to help you relieve anxiety as a highly sensitive person.
Working with a therapist can help you get to the root cause or triggers of your anxiety. A therapist will be able to work with you to help you better manage and control your anxiety moving forward. You can learn more about counseling for HSPs here. Reach out to me today to set up a consultation.
